How to Create an International SEO Strategy for Business?

Have you ever wondered why Apple hosts multiple versions of its website for different countries? It is because of international SEO. This approach is crucial for brands looking to impact on a global scale.

Creating an international SEO strategy requires careful planning and execution. You’ll need to consider local search engines, cultural and language differences, and the increased competition with cross-border expansion.

Below, we tell you everything you need to know to establish an international SEO strategy and take your business to new heights.

What is International SEO?

International SEO is optimizing your website to make it more relevant and visible to audiences in different locations. You can use this strategy to achieve specific goals, such as:

Expand your reach in the market.
Create international brand awareness.
Increase global sales.

Implementing international SEO effectively closes the gap between your business and potential customers across borders. It benefits businesses looking to attract customers from specific regions or language groups.

How does International SEO work?

Google and other search engines tailor search results to match the user’s location and language. International SEO comes in here. It tells these search engines that your content is designed for users in certain countries or those searching in specific languages.

How do you do this? Through some essential methods. First, there is country or language targeting. This is simple: you’re marking your content as ideal for people in, say, Germany or those who speak English.

Next come the hreflang tags. They are code snippets that make it clear to search engines which language and region your content is intended for. Think of them as tags on your content, guiding search engines to show it to the right audience.

URL structures also play a role. You set them up to reflect the different regions and languages you target. They help keep your page organized and make it easier for search engines to understand who should see what.

In short, international SEO combines targeting, hreflang tags, and URL structures to ensure your content reaches and resonates with your target audience.

International SEO Strategy

Identify your target market

First, decide which countries to target. Consider where you already have sales, potential market needs and logistics. You can use Google Analytics and Google Search Console to obtain information about your international audience.

In Google Analytics, click Audience > Geo > Location. A map will show where most of your page traffic is coming from.

Next, open the Search Performance Report in Google Search Console and filter by country to see the top queries leading to your page. Analyze these queries to determine whether visitors to a particular location will likely convert to customers.

This entire process guides your international SEO efforts. You’ll get information about the regions where your page is already generating interest. Use that information to tailor your SEO strategy to those markets’ audiences.

Learn about search engines

Research each region or country where you wish to do business to successfully expand internationally. This includes finding out what search engines are popular there. For example:

Google is the most popular in the US.
Baidu is the leading search engine in China
Yandex is the best option in Russia.
Naver is the choice that people prefer in South Korea.

Knowing the preferred search engine helps you optimize your website effectively for each market. For example, when targeting users in China, you should add descriptive alt tags to images on your page (since Baidu relies on these tags to understand and classify images).

Determine your international SEO goals.

Goal setting is an essential aspect of international SEO. Setting clear goals helps you focus on boosting your website’s global presence. For example, you may want to:

Expand market reach in specific countries: Companies invest in international SEO to access new customer bases. This requires researching local market trends and user behaviours.

Drive engagement across cultures: The goal here is to connect with diverse audiences. This involves creating culturally relevant content, localizing the language, and understanding regional preferences.

Increase global sales and conversions: Companies look for this to increase their revenue in international markets. This requires optimizing the website for local currencies and payment methods and adapting marketing messages to align with local shopping habits.

Conduct keyword research

Choosing the right keywords is crucial for SEO. For international markets, it is not enough to translate keywords. They often need to be adapted to fit the unique context of each market.

Address each keyword individually. Know what people in your target market are looking for. Then, adjust your keywords to these local terms.

When tailoring your keywords, use tools like Google Keyword Planner to understand their popularity. But remember, these types of tools are not always perfect. Their data should not be your only guide.

Create localized content

Content localization is the next step in optimizing your website for an international audience. Take the localized keywords you researched earlier and integrate them into your content. You should also add local idioms and languages, as well as local currencies, time zones, and phone numbers, if applicable.

When serving multilingual audiences, make sure you translate your content accurately. Avoid machine translations in favour of human translators. The latter excels at capturing your content’s subtle details and core message, ensuring it is culturally appropriate and clear.

In terms of content strategy, let market research be your guide. For example, if you sell sportswear in regions known for outdoor activities, highlight features such as weather resistance and durability.

Set dedicated URLs

For effective country targeting, set up a dedicated URL for each country. There are several methods to set region-specific URLs. Here is a summary of the most common approaches:

Country code top-level domains (ccTLDs): Companies often use a country’s unique code as the final part of their page’s domain name. For example, your Hindi page could be www.abcde.in, the Spanish page www.abcde.es and the Russian page www.abcde.ru. This approach offers an intuitive user experience. However, it requires purchasing and maintaining multiple domains, which can be a significant investment.
Subdirectories: Another method involves using subdirectories, also known as subfolders. For example, your page in Hindi can be accessed at www.abcde.com/in. This structure keeps all content within a single domain, simplifying maintenance. It also helps build domain authority while allowing for regional targeting.
Subdomains: Subdomains appear before the primary domain name, such as “in” in www.in.abcde.com. They are flexible and can target specific languages or regions within a country. However, a significant disadvantage is that search engines treat each subdomain separately. This means they don’t benefit from the established SEO authority of the root domain, which can be a setback to your international SEO strategy.

Create backlinks

Building local backlinks is a critical strategy in international SEO. Target backlinks from each market you target. Here are some tactics:

Ask for product reviews – connect with local bloggers and influencers. Ask them to review your products. This movement generates not only interest but also backlinks within the community.
Interact with local journalists: Connect with media outlets and journalists in various regions. Present them with unique stories or insights related to your business. This can generate valuable press coverage and backlinks from credible local sources.
Take advantage of content marketing: create content that resonates with your international audience. By providing value, you naturally attract backlinks from local forums and websites.

Use hreflang tags

HReflang tags are HTML code snippets that tell search engines who your content is intended for. They allow you to specify the language and country, ensuring that the right audience sees the correct language version of your page.

To avoid search engine penalties for duplicate content in the same language, such as English pages for the UK, US and Australia, use hreflang tags. They help search engines understand the specific target market of each page.

Take advantage of local social media platforms

Social media has grown in importance since Google began prioritizing authoritative content, although they are not explicit about it. Building a social media presence in your target international markets is crucial.

Next, set up social media profiles tailored to each of these markets. Use local language and develop content that resonates with regional interests and trends. This step is about making your brand identifiable and attractive to each unique audience.

Finally, link these social media accounts to your website. This move generates traffic and tells search engines you are engaging with these regions.